Paddling In Schools Teaches Wrong Lesson

RAY RECCHI

When a policeman smacks a suspect to teach him a lesson, we call it ``police brutality.``

When a husband smacks his wife to show her who`s boss, we call it ``spouse abuse.``

When one adult smacks another adult to solve a problem, we call it ``assault and battery.``

And when a child smacks another child to prove who`s tougher, we call that ``bullying.``

Based on the terms we use to describe such actions, it is obvious that the majority of people in civilized society consider it unacceptable for people to smack one another.

So when a public school principal, administrator or teacher smacks a child to teach him a lesson, why do we call it ``disciplinary action`` and deem it acceptable, legal and at times even necessary?

I don`t get it.

Why is it that we abhor the use of violence against adults, but continue to accept violence against children -- in the form of paddling -- as a useful method of discipline in our public schools?

Apparently there are some who still believe that paddling a problem child is going to solve the problem, when all evidence points to the fact that the use of physical violence only legitimizes and encourages more physical violence.

A SERIOUS CASE OF THE GIGGLES

To some of us, however, the idea of a professional educator calmly and dispassionately smacking a defenseless child with a paddle seems like ``cruel and unusual punishment,`` which is specifically outlawed by the Constitution.

Unfortunately, members of the Supreme Court don`t see it that way. In March, they refused, without comment, to review a Texas paddling law that allows the use of all necessary corporal punishment, short of deadly force.

In the case at issue, two kindergarten girls were each paddled twice -- once by their principal and once by their teacher. Each received a total of five whacks on the butt. Both of them missed six days of school because of a combination of pain from the bruises, embarrassment and fear.

Social workers who examined the girls` bruises pronounced them victims of child abuse.

What, you may well wonder, could two 5-year-old girls do to deserve such treatment?

They snickered, that`s what. Caught in a fit of giggling, the two little girls just couldn`t wipe those smiles off their faces when they were told.

Is it possible that professional educators have become so jaded they can`t remember what it`s like to get a giggling fit. Heck, if that rule applied in business, a colleague and I could have been paddled after today`s staff meeting.

That the Supreme Court -- or any American court -- would allow such practices to continue should be an embarrassment to us all.

UP THE CREEK, WITH A PADDLE

But we in Florida have reason to be particularly ashamed. In Florida, you see, it is not only legal for children to be paddled in school, it is against state law for school districts to outlaw paddling.

Apparently some of the more conservative Crackers in our legislature are afraid we liberals might take the paddles out of the hands of our educators. All attempts to change that law have so far met with stiff opposition.

But, thanks to a decision by the First District Court of Appeals last week, there is reason to hope that might change. In that case, two educators who had paddled students severely enough to leave bruises that lasted a week, had their names placed on an official register of child abusers by the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services.

Crying foul, the two educators sued HRS to get their names off the list. But, in a split decision, the court ruled against them last week.

``It`s real frustrating that people doing their job and doing it properly are now on the child-abuse registry,`` said attorney Ron Meyer, who represents one of the ``educators.``

Just doing their jobs? Well, maybe that`s so as long as the jackasses in our legislature refuse to ban paddling or allow individual districts to do so.

Still, smacking kids hard enough to leave bruises that last a week strikes me as going above and beyond the call of duty.

But we shouldn`t call it ``dedication,`` ``education`` or ``discipline,`` my friends.